Black Bean and Butternut Soup
Source: Sara & Hugh Forte, Sprouted Kitchen
Serves 4-6
Soup:
1 Tbsp. coconut or extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 a small head of cabbage, chopped (heaping 2 cups)
3 cups cubed butternut squash (sweet potato would be good too)
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cocoa powder
pinch of chipotle powder or cayenne pepper (these can be spicy so start small if you’re sensitive to spice)
2 cups cooked, black beans (about one can, rinsed and drained, or cooked from dry)
salt to taste
cilantro, for garnish
goat cheese, for garnish (optional)
avocado, for garnish (optional)
Tortilla Crispies:
3 corn tortillas
scant 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
In a heavy bottomed pot, warm the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until just beginning to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, cabbage, squash, another pinch of salt and sauté again. Add the broth, chili powder, cumin and cocoa. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, cover the pot with the lid ajar and cook for about 20 minutes for the vegetables to cook.
Add the beans and stir. Let everything continue to simmer another ten minutes for the flavors to blend. Season to taste. At this point, I did a few pulses with my immersion blender through the soup, because I wanted to thicken up the broth a bit. This is optional, but makes it more viscous. You could alternatively, run just a bit of the soup through a blender or food processor, and add it back in to the pot. OR a sprinkle of cornmeal will help thicken it as well.
For the tortilla crispies, preheat the oven to 375°. Stack them and slice into thin matchsticks. Spread on a baking sheet, dirzzle with the oil, sprinkle the salt and toss gently to coat. Spread them in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for about 10-15 minutes until they are light brown and crispy, giving the pan a shake halfway through.
Add garnishes to your soup and enjoy!
